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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Schenectady’s Rivers Casino is set to open in first quarter 2017, and hiring is in full swing.

Construction on the casino continues, and it’s expected to bring 1,000 new jobs. Now the city is taking steps to help those new employees find a place to live.

“I’ve got a lot of people coming here from other locations that are settling in Schenectady, which I think is such a wonderful thing,” Clancy Real Estate Agent Kelly Canuet said.

Canuet is helping Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy market 40 homes that are up for sale and within walking distance of the casino.

It’s part of the his “Walk to Work” initiative, which encourages people to live, work, and play all within walking distance as an effort to boost quality of life and increase overall property values.

“You have some very high end houses, good middle class houses, and you have some that you have to be more creative with,” he said. “They’re fixer uppers.”

Schenectady has long struggled with vacant, rundown properties, but the sale of the city-owned homes has gone up two-fold since 2015. Private home sales have also seen a boost.

Canuet said there’s been a shift from renting to buying.

“You can buy a three bedroom home for almost the same price as you can get a two bedroom apartment,” she said.

It’s a good investment for buyers and good news for the city.

“So by getting individuals who own their property, they maintain it; they care about increasing the value,” McCarthy said. “They worry about the neighborhood.”

Neighborhoods currently filled with empty homes, ready and waiting for casino workers to buy them. But the first step is landing the job.

“So if you’re looking for a chance, if you’ve always wanted to work in a casino, you’ve watched movies like “Oceans 11,” come on down and apply for a job at Rivers,” Rivers Casino Dir. of Communications Scott Clay said. “We’d love to have you.”

The casino has filled about 40 percent of its open positions, but there are still plenty of jobs left.